Common SAR Acronyms and Terms

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SAR: Search and Rescue, often abbreviated "SAR," involves the typically volunteer service of community members and public safety to locate missing persons. 

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AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction): the entity having unified command over an incident, be it a disaster scene, investigation, or smaller scale incident such as a traffic collision or house fire. Working under the AHJ and proper chain of command is vital for information and services to operate correctly. This ensures every member remains safe and operates within their scope of training and prevents duplication of resources. 

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PLS: Point last seen, used to designate the last place a missing person has been seen. This can be their home, workplace, parking lot, etc.

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Scent Article: An item used to "scent," a trailing K9 on a particular person's odor. This can be a small item like a hat, sock, pillow case, or can be obtained by placing a clean cotton swab on a car seat, bedding, etc. This must be handled carefully to avoid contamination by the collector. 

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POD: Probability of Detection, a term used in large area searches to determine how likely the searchers are to finding the target. Factors include terrain, size of target, time allotted, type of search being performed. 

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Type of Search: this determines the level of detail. A hasty search refers to a very quick search of areas of high likelihood, such as park trails, parking lots, buildings. A primary search is similar but involves covering more of the area. A secondary search covers all of the area. The most detailed search is a grid search, a time consuming and personnel heavy undertaking that covers every inch of ground, and also destroys remaining evidence in the area. The exact terms vary by agency or area, experienced SAR personnel clarify what type of search is expected at the briefing. ​